PROBLEMS IN CRIME LAB UNDERMINING JUSTICE

The majority of criminal cases adjudicated in Bexar County each year
result in probated sentences.

It also happens throughout the state and country. There are not enough
jails and prisons to house all those who confess or are convicted of
criminal wrongdoing.

Keeping probationers on a short leash is crucial to the criminal
justice system, with drug testing, community service hours and
counseling often mandated to keep probationers in line.

The disclosure last week that the lack of refrigerators and sufficient
personnel at the urinalysis lab operated by the Bexar County Adult
Probation Department has compromised 15,000 urine samples taken by
probationers is cause for alarm.

The problems surfaced after criminal courts officials gave Probation
Deputy Chief Paul Kosierowski permission to destroy 15,000 urine
samples taken from probationers for drug testing.

Some samples had been sitting, at room temperature, since January
waiting to be tested, staff writer Tom Bower reported. Kosierowski,
said the samples are not good after 10 days.

Probation officials said they began having problems with the workload
last fall, and the request for urinalysis exceeded the lab's capacity
by January.

If that is so, why did it take six months to address the issue and why
doesn't the lab have adequate refrigeration space to store samples?

The criminal court judges and county commissioners need to address
these issues immediately.

Doing otherwise could undermine the entire criminal justice system in
the county and create a series of legal challenges to findings made by
the county's urinalysis lab.